The lift home
by Kate McCaye
Summary: Just continues for a little bit after the episode "Tangent" ended - what happens to Jack as Jacob gives him a lift home.


"I'm not sure if we lost that Goa'uld ship for good," Jacob said as Carter pulled O'Neill to his feet and Daniel helped Teal'c off with his helmet.   
  
"It's all right, Dad, we can take care of them," Carter said, stumbling slightly as the Colonel leaned into her heavily to keep from toppling over again.   
  
"All right, take them back to the medical bay. Push the panels in the walls and beds will slide out."   
  
"Thanks, Dad."   
  
Jacob hurried back to continue flying his ship.   
  
"I think it's this way," Carter said, leading them all slowly down a typical Goa'uld ship corridor.   
  
Teal'c was walking on his own; his symbiote was already helping the effects of the anoxia wear off, but Colonel O'Neill wasn't having as easy of a time about it. Daniel walked carefully next to Teal'c, trying to make it seem as though he wasn't concerned about his friend's stability, as he knew Teal'c hated to appear injured or weakened in any way. He carried both men's helmets and gear.   
  
"Here it is," Carter said, pressing a button that slid open a door into another bright, empty room with gold walls. She pushed a few more panels and two metal "beds" (although they looked more like shelves than anything else) slid out of the wall at waist-height.   
  
Daniel quickly fetched the medical supplies they had brought with them. "Okay, first we need to get you guys warm," Daniel said, handing Teal'c a giant thermal blanket and helping him adjust it around his shoulders while Carter did the same to O'Neill.   
  
"How do you feel, Colonel?" she asked, trying to check his pulse.   
  
"Good," he slurred. "Really good, especially since I was planning on being dead right around now."   
  
"He's still loopy," Daniel said, helping Teal'c lie down on the hard bed. "How about you, Teal'c, are you okay?"   
  
"My symbiote is healing me quickly now that I have sufficient oxygen. However I believe going back into Kel-no-reem will help me to heal faster, and also will distract me from the freezing coldness."   
  
"Let me just check your vitals first, Teal'c," Carter insisted, going over to him and checking his pulse. "Yours is much stronger than the Colonel's," she muttered as she stuck a thermometer in his mouth.   
  
"No need to rub it in, Carter," O'Neill said from his bed, where he was sitting up, curled up in a ball under his blanket, trying to control the rapid shaking of his freezing body.   
  
"I wasn't trying to, sir," she said absently, reading the thermometer. "Just a little cooler than normal, Teal'c, I think you're going to be just fine. You should drink some water before you meditate though."   
  
"I concur," he said solemnly as Daniel immediately handed him some water.   
  
Carter turned back to her CO. "Sir, you'll get better faster if you lie down on your back and take slow, deep breaths. Curled up like that it will take longer to reoxygenate your body," she said as she got some water for him as well and took it over to him.   
  
"Do you... ever... use small words?" he asked shakily.   
  
She laughed in spite of the situation as she handed him the water. "Here, sir, drink as much of this as you can," she instructed.   
  
He took it clumsily and managed to take a tiny sip. "Dammit Carter, that's cold."   
  
"I know, sir, but you need to rehydrate," she said, grabbing another blanket, sitting down next to him, and wrapping it around him as well. "There, that should help some."   
  
"I'm the boss of you," O'Neill said grumpily as she tried to make him drink more water.   
  
"Not in a medical emergency," she reminded him gently. Satisfied that he'd had at least some water, she took his pulse again.   
  
"It still isn't very strong," she muttered to herself as she stared at her watch.   
  
Jacob's voice came over the PA. "Dr. Jackson, if everything's okay down there, George wants an update on Jack and Teal'c."   
  
"I'll go talk to him," Daniel said immediately, hurrying out of the room.   
  
Carter glanced over at Teal'c. He was already in Kel-no-reem again, and looked almost back to normal. "Sir, can you describe your symptoms for me? If we can't get your core temperature up, I'm going to have to go talk to Janet and see if there's anything else we can do."   
  
"Symptoms? I'm freezing my ass off."   
  
"Yes, sir, I know that one."   
  
"And... my head hurts... and... I'm so tired... I'm gonna sleep now," he said, suddenly collapsing into her side heavily.   
  
She got up and guided him down to a more natural position on the bed, but said, "Sir, you can't go to sleep just yet, not until your pulse is stronger and your breathing is back to normal. Here, turn on your back."   
  
"It's COLDER on my back," he objected, but he was too weak to physically protest as she turned him over so that he was flat on his back.   
  
"Okay, good. You'll warm up in no time, sir, those are very warm blankets you have there."   
  
"Like in Antarctica?" he asked groggily.   
  
"Yes, sir, just like that," she clarified, feeling his forehead again. He had seemed more lucid earlier, which was starting to worry her. "Okay, try not to think about being cold, sir."   
  
"Can't."   
  
"Yes, you can," she insisted, sitting back down on the edge of the metal shelf. "Just focus on taking slow, deep breaths, sir."   
  
"Why?"   
  
"Sir, please just do it."   
  
"Carter, how did you get way out here in space?"   
  
"We'll fill you in on all the details later, sir, right now you just need to breathe."   
  
"But you were at work. Where we work. And we were stuck and gone far and we thought we weren't going to see you guys again and then you were right there in a big ass ship and..."   
  
"Yes, sir, we were able to get help from my dad, remember?"   
  
"Yeah your dad. He's so great."   
  
"Yes, sir, he is."   
  
"And you too, Carter. I bet you're the one who figured out how to save us, aren'tcha?"   
  
"It was a joint effort, sir."   
  
"You always say that. I was happy to see you."   
  
"I was happy to see you too, sir. Please, stop talking though. You really need to be breathing better."   
  
"But I want to talk to you," he insisted, trying to sit up.   
  
She put her hand on his chest firmly. "Be still, sir."   
  
He stopped trying to sit up but she left her hand there, realizing she could tell how he was breathing better that way.   
  
"Carter, I have a very important question."   
  
"All right but after this question you have to promise to be quiet, okay?"   
  
"Okay," he agreed, looking up at her seriously.   
  
"When did you get your hair cut?" She smiled and looked down, trying not to laugh. The absurdity of the situation, after they'd been so sure they weren't going to get to them in time, was finally hitting her.   
  
"I'm not exactly sure, sir. I think it was part of the mind-stamping process, remember?"   
  
"Yeah I remember that. No. I don't remember it exactly but that was the whole idea, right?"   
  
"Right. Okay, sir, that was your one question, now, time to be quiet."   
  
"All right," he grumbled, shutting his eyes.   
  
"Good. Now, try to relax and breathe deeper, sir, you're still taking short shallow breaths."   
  
"I can't help it I'm freezing."   
  
She pressed her hand to his forehead again. "You're right."   
  
"In Antarctica YOU kept me warm," he said in a petulant tone.   
  
"Oh brother," Carter said under her breath. She was really worried about him though; Teal'c was sleeping peacefully and he was still shaking violently, even under the two blankets. Rolling her eyes, she stretched out next to him, on her side against him so they'd both fit on the narrow "bed."   
  
"This has got to be the least comfortable bed in the galaxy," she muttered.   
  
"It's better now though," he said through his chattering teeth as she rested her head on his shoulder. Glad there was very little chance he'd remember what he'd been saying, or any of this as a matter of fact, she scooted a little closer, wrapping her arm around him.   
  
"Okay, now take slow breaths, Colonel." He finally obeyed, and for several minutes the only sound in the room was his slow, deep breathing.   
  
She actually thought he had fallen asleep until he said, "Hey, Sam?" Surprised at the use of her first name, she sat up quickly so she could look at him better.   
  
"Yes, sir?" she asked, taking his pulse again. It wasn't as strong as it should be, but it was still exponentially better than it had been when they found them.   
  
"You're still the best looking Major I know... but I like your old haircut better."   
  
Rolling her eyes, she said, "I'll make a note of it in my field report, sir. You can go to sleep now, you're out of the woods."   
  
"Kay," he said, immediately nodding off.   
  
Satisfied that he was sleeping peacefully now, she got up to go give an update to General Hammond. As soon as she stepped outside the room, she ran into Daniel, who had apparently been waiting there. Trying not to blush, she said, "They're both asleep. I think they're going to be okay."   
  
"So I heard," he said, trying to hide his smile. "Memory stamp, Sam?"   
  
"Well it was better than the truth," she said defensively.   
  
"What, that General Hammond asked me to ask you to cut your hair so Jack might stop staring at you all the time?"   
  
She punched him on the arm, but that didn't stop his huge grin and laugh. "Shut up, Daniel. Go sit with them, I'm going to go send General Hammond an update."   
  
"Yes, ma'am!" he barked, snapping to a fake salute.   
  
"You better watch it, Daniel, or I might use you to test out my theory on how long someone can survive floating out there all alone in space." 


End file.
